It’s Not Stress Giving You Those Gray Hairs…

Do you panic at the sight of a gray hair? And then do you panic that that panic is causing even more grays? Well, you can relax, about one part at least.

According to Self, while stress has been known to trigger hair loss, there's little research showing that it can actually turn your hair gray. It's possible that stress has some influence over the graying process, but there's no research suggesting that stress directly causes the grays to appear.

For the most part, experts say to blame your parents for your gray hairs rather than your tendency to get worked up. Genetics play the largest role in when your hair will start to turn color, and scientists even pinpointed the first gene responsible for it. That discovery could one day hold the key to preventing gray hair in people who aren't a fan of the salt and pepper look.

There is one habit you can directly link to gray hair though, cigarette smoking. According to Self a 2013 study found a significant link between lighting up and turning gray before 30.